On Target with a Sharp Shooter: A Conversation with Jeremy Doran

The Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter Division is the fastest growing form of racing at Speedway 660. A few years ago the division barely got off the ground with a half a dozen cars, but today the racing is exciting and the car count continues to grow. Wade Wilson recently caught up with Jeremy Doran, one of our top sharp shooters!

Wade: Hey Jeremy how long have you been coming to Speedway 660 and when and how did you get into racing?

Jeremy: I’ve been going to Speedway 660 ever since I was a little guy. I was about five or six years old when I started going and have been going ever since. Back then, what kept me wanting to go was “Smoking Joe”, he was my favorite driver. Through the years I became a fan of other drivers and I’ve always liked every kind of racing. I told myself that someday I’d be out there racing and my dream came true three years ago. Some friends and I were at one of the Enduros and back then there were a few four cylinder Enduro cars. The driver who won had his four cylinder car for sale. I looked over at Luc McLaughlin and said: “Do you want to start racing?” He said yeah, why not? So the next day we went to Sussex and bought that four cylinder car. For the first year we would take turns driving every second weekend. After that season, I sold Luc my share of the car and built my own. I’m pretty happy Luc said yes to my question back then, because I love racing.

Wade: What is it about the Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter Division that’s so appealing to the drivers?

Jeremy: Well it’s not an expensive division to start in and it’s a lot of fun. There’s a lot of excitement and good racing that goes with this division. The crowd gives us lots of encouragement and it’s just great to be part of the Speedway 660 family.

Jeremy Doran made his latest visit to the Riverview Ford Lincoln Victory Lane last Saturday night when he won his heat race. Jeremy, who won a Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter feature back in June, is a contender for the 2013 Sharp Shooter title.

Wade: And why do you think the fans get such a blast out of your brand of racing?

Jeremy: I think the fans like the Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter division because from week to week there are usually different winners and there’s a lot of action and some crashes. The kids I know, that’s what they want to see. I believe the fans also enjoy all these ordinary, everday cars that have been turned into race cars.

Wade: All of the other divisions are rear wheel drive and the street stock, sportsman and pro stocks are all eight cylinders. Four cylinder, front wheel drive race cars must be a real hand-full.

Jeremy: Yeah it is different because you can’t drift the corners like the rear wheel drives do, and there’s not as much power as the V8s but it’s still fun. This year there’s been a few times where I wished my car was rear wheel drive, especially when I was going into the turns too fast. It’s much harder to control an out of control front wheel drive car than a rear wheel drive one. Once you get the hang of it gets easier though. I’ve made some pretty wicked saves at times, at least that’s how it feels from behind the wheel.

Wade: Our Sharp Shooter Division is really competitive. You guys are working hard to find ways to go faster. You won a feature back in June and have been in the top five in points all season. What does it take to be a top runner?

Jeremy Doran gets to the inside of Neil Miousse in a recent Sharp Shooter heat race. Jeremy enjoys this affordable, exciting form of racing at Speedway 660.

Jeremy: Yeah Wade it’s very competitive and there are a lot of times when I get a little too stressed-out on the track. I was stressin a little bit those last few laps back in June when I won my first feature race. I can tell you that I’ve put so much work in getting the car to where it is today. I do have a right hand man, Allen Munn, and he’s been there for me so much that I know today that being in the top five in points is because of him. Hopefully I’ll keep climbing up toward first place. I would love to get this year’s championship, but for that to happen I’m gonna have to be on my game for the last couple of point races. To be a top runner out there today you have to have a good car, know your lines, not give up, and be a clean racer.

Wade: Although you guys race each other hard at Speedway 660, I see drivers down in the pits hanging out and helping each other get ready to race. You must be making lots of friends through the sport of racing.

Jeremy: It is a competitive division with lots of good, hard racing. I’ve made lots of new friends there and met a lot of new people. I’m lucky to have the friends that I have. I don’t really have a pit crew, I do a lot by myself but we all help each other down in the pits. I would like to thank everyone in the pits and all around who helps me out. I mentioned Allen Munn earlier, he’s a huge help at home getting the car ready between races. When I’m in a jam he’s the one who steps up and helps me out any way he can. If I get lots of damage, I bring my car to his shop and use his hoist and tools. He’s pretty smart too and his expertise comes in handy when it comes to fixing the car and making it better. In the pits there are lots of guys who help me. We all just help each other.

Wade: And who are the sponsors who help make it possible for you to come to Speedway 660 and put on a great show for our fans?

Jeremy: You know I’ve been very lucky in the past few years with all my sponsors and with the new ones that came on board with me this year. Without them my car wouldn’t be where it is today. I want to give a big thank you to all of my sponsors for this season: The North Side Market; Auto Essentials; D&M Auto; Fastenal; A.J Leblanc Construction and Renovation; Dana’s Collision Center; Colburn’s Auto Salvage; Sign Installations; Atlantic Hot Tubs; Dolans Pub; A&B Jewellery; Auto Machinery and; R. Lee Renovations. Without them it would be a lot harder for me to race.

Our Sharp Shooter Division provides thrills for drivers and fans alike in the Geary Woods. Fortunately for Jeremy Doran he avoided this “dust-up” earlier this season over in turn two at Speedway 660.

Wade: I know you are pretty happy in the Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter Division right now, but do you ever think about moving up to one of the other divisions in the future?

Jeremy: I enjoy the Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter Division, it’s a less expensive form of racing than the other divisions and I have lots of fun racing. I’ve always dreamed of racing pro stock or sportsman. The faster I can go the more thrills I get. I love to go fast. Someday I want to move up to sportsman or pro stock, but for now I’m happy where I am, racing a Sharp Shooter.

Wade: SpeedWeekend is coming up soon. It must be a thrill for you guys to be part of the show and go racing in front of the biggest crowds of the year.

Jeremy: SpeedWeekend is the best. It’s the most fun weekend of the year. There are lots of people and our race has an extra five laps, which gives us more time to get to the front!

Wade: Thanks for doing this and best of luck for the rest of the 2013 season.

Jeremy: Thank you for the opportunity Wade, we’re having a good season and hopefully the Sharp Shooters will put on a good show for the fans for the last few races of the year.